Friends of the Elderly donates to YMCA community farm

The Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly donated $1,500 from the group’s fundraising efforts and an additional $131 in donations from the Council on Aging to the YMCA's community farm.

The Sharing the Harvest Community Farm regularly supports the town's elderly population with fresh produce, and the monetary donation was a way of giving back, said FOE President Maria Connor.

She noted many seniors are on fixed incomes, which can make it difficult to stay on top of nutrition.

“They do very important work here, and we know they need funds to continue the program,” Connor said.

Alongside giving to the Dartmouth Council on Aging, the community farm also donates produce to 18 other locations in southeastern Massachusetts, said Farm Director Dan King. In 2016, the farm donated 84,702 pounds of food.

“These [monetary] donations are what keeps us sustainable,” King explained. “Without organizations like this, we can’t make it year to year.”

About 3,400 volunteers staffed the farm throughout the year. The farm’s three objectives include alleviating hunger, promoting volunteerism, and teaching volunteers about farming, nutrition, nature, and food organization.